Night in the Woods
by Starza
Summary: WARNING! This story is VERY dark. It's NOT a romance, like my other three. It's another RiouJoei yaoi, only darker. When Riou is running for his life in the woods, he stumbles upon an old friend. However...


Warning:  Yeah, I put a lot of these in my stories!  X_x  But anyways, remember my last story?  That was really more seduction than rape.  THIS one, however, IS rape for sure.  And yes, it's a Yaoi, be warned.  But I won't go into details, so it gets a rated R rating.

But as usual, if you don't like Yaoi, click the back button.  If you don't like dark fanfics, click the back button as well.  Remember, I warned you.  If you can read fanfics, you can read warnings as well, and if you don't listen to this, you read at your own risk.  That's what warnings are for, after all.  X_x

Timeline, not sure really.  This didn't happen in the game though, just an idea a friend told me online, so I decided to try it out.  ^_^  Thanks Tormod, know you're reading my fic again.  :D

Anyways, hero is Riou, yet again, Joei is Jowy, for you English people, castle and army are called Fantasia.  :P  Enjoy the story.  ^_^  And don't mind the title, it's corny. .

Night in the Woods

Riou tripped on a root as he was fleeing from the recent battle.  Sharp pain shot up his leg as he fell to the ground.  He shook his head and looked around him.  He didn't know where he was; he only remembered Shu's voice commanding them to flee the battlefield.

Their recent battle against the Highland Army was a total failure.  They really underestimated the enemy that time.  They were being flanked from both sides.  He remembered looking over at Shu, whose face paled at the sight, then gave the order to scatter and flee.  He remembered being pushed away and told to flee, that they must not lose Riou at whatever cost.

For a while, he was with Flik, Viktor and Nanami.  But then a huge blast of fire magic blew them in different directions.  When Riou looked up, he didn't see any of them around.  He did hear them calling for him, relieving him for only a split second before he started running again.  He managed to come upon a forest and dove head first into it.

Riou rubbed his ankle and sighed to himself, brushing his fingers across his forehead.  He felt something warm and sticky, and knew that he cut himself in his haste.  He cursed himself silently for not watching where he was going.  Just because he was fleeing from battle didn't give him the right to trip and give himself a concussion.

That's when he heard the rustle of the bushes near him.  Readying himself in a fighting position, he yelled, "Come out, whoever you are!"

Riou gasped at who emerged from the brush.  How could he not recognize his best friend?  He was also the person who caused him great pain as well.

"Joei…"

He walked closer to Riou, but Riou kept taking steps back, not lowering his Twin Fang.  Maybe this was a trap?

"It's good to see you again, Riou…" He answered, not relenting his walking.  He stopped and looked at Riou.  His eyes took on a pained expression.  "You're hurt."

Riou just realized that blood was dripping down his forehead from his recent fall.  He let his guard down, and brushed his hand across his forehead.  "It's no big deal…"

Looking down, he saw Joei rummaging through a small bag he carried with him.  He took out a small bottle of blue liquid and handed it to Riou.

"Drink.  It will make you feel better."

Not even bothering to question his former friend, he opened the bottle.  He thought the bottle could be poison, but realized that Joei wouldn't poison him, even if they were enemies.  He wasn't like Luca Blight.

He downed the drink, blanching silently at the bitter taste it left in his mouth.  But medicine always tasted bitter to him.  He would remember Nanami giving him medicine when he was sick.  He didn't always like it, but he gave in and drank the medicine anyways.  If he didn't do what she told him to, he could expect a slap on the head once he got better and a hug after that too.

He shook his head a little. _ 'I must still feel dizzy after that fall.' _ He looked back at Joei, wondering what his friend was thinking.

"Why are you here, Joei?"

"I knew you got lost here.  I was…  worried about you…  We may be enemies, but I still worry about you and Nanami.  How are Nanami and Pilika?"

"They are well…" He answered, shaking his head again. _ 'Boy, that fall must have been bad.  I hope I don't really have a concussion…' _

"That's good to hear…" Joei said, looking down at the ground.

"Joei…  Why are you REALLY here?  I know you're here for some reason…"

"Riou, quit the army."

"What?"

"Give up being the leader of the Fantasia army.  Please?  I don't want to have to hurt you…"

"Joei…" Riou whispered, "I can't do that.  I have my reasons for fighting.  How can you fight besides Luca, knowing what he did in Toto and Ryube village?  And what he will do to the City State if he conquers?"

"It's all for the greater good though.  I'm not like Luca, Riou.  But he has the Highland army backing him.  I need their man power."

"How can you say that, knowing what Luca has and will do!?" Riou demanded, stumbling back.  He didn't feel so good all of a sudden.

"It's not how the world works, Riou.  That's reality for you.  It's easy to say that you will fight without killing, but sometimes, not killing is worse.  It's worse for me to sit back and do nothing.  I will unite the City State and Highland under one nation.  There will be no more City State or Highland."

"Joei…" Riou felt himself falling to the ground. _ 'What's wrong with me!?  I wasn't feeling like this before…  Oh my god…' _His eyes found the empty bottle laying on the ground and to his horror, he realized it wasn't medicine.  Again, he cursed himself for being so trusting to his friend, before darkness covered his vision.

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When Riou opened his eyes, he knew he wasn't outside anymore, but not in his room at Fantasia castle.  He tried to recall what happened before, remembering Joei's words to him, and drinking the so-called 'medicine' his friend gave him. _ 'Dammit!  Why am I so trusting…' _ 

"You're awake…"

Riou tried to sit up, but found out he couldn't.  So he just turned his head.  Joei was sitting by a small fire, staring at Riou.

"Joei…  What have you done?  Let me go…"

"I can't do that Riou.  My orders were to give you that vile and then kill you…"

"So that's what you plan to do with me!?"

"No, I can't kill you…  But…" His eyes searched Riou for a quick second.  "Riou, please leave the Fantasia army.  I don't want to hurt you…"

"You already know my answer, Joei.  I can't leave my position.  And if you're going to kill me, do it now…"

"I told you, I can't…  You won't change your mind then?"

"No…  Please understand…"

Joei stood up then and then stared into Riou's eyes.  Riou didn't like what he saw reflecting back in his eyes.  He could see himself helpless on the ground.  But he noticed something else in Joei's eyes.  He heard himself whimper softly.  Was he… scared of that look?

Joei sat down next to Riou and continued to stare at him.  He could feel his heart beat in his chest, could even hear it in his ears.  He tried to move his limbs, but nothing would respond.

"I put some paralysis substance in that medicine, Riou.  You can't escape.  Struggling will only make it worse on you.  No one is here but you and me.  So I'll ask you one last time, please leave as leader of the Fantasia army, run away with Nanami, go live a quiet life, get far away from Highland and the City State, go to Toran, or Grassland, or even Harmonia.  Just relieve your position as leader.  Then you're free.  You won't be hurt, and I promise you Luca won't come after you."

"I can't Joei…  Too many people depend on me…  I wish I could, but I just can't…  That's asking me to give up all that I believe in…"

"So you're answer is the same…?"

"I'm sorry Joei…"

"No, I'm sorry, Riou, at what I'm about to do…  But maybe in time, you'll forgive me…" Riou felt Joei's hand brush across his cheek.  He bent down to his ear.  Riou lightly felt Joei's lips brush past it.

"You're so naïve and innocent, Riou…" He whispered softly in his ear.  "I'm so jealous of you…  I wish I could be more like you…  Maybe…  if this world wasn't so cruel…  Maybe things could have been different…  You, me, and Nanami could be quietly living back at Genkaku's dojo…  We would still be together…"

"Joei…" Riou didn't know what to do or say.  But he was scared.  Not the kind of scared when you face a monster or the kind of scared when you did something wrong, but know you would eventually get in trouble for.  No, this was far different than that. _ 'Joei, what are you trying to do to me…?' _

"You're so beautiful…  So perfect…  If we're enemies, I can never have you…  But tonight, just for tonight…" Riou felt Joei's lips pass his own.  He moaned softly at the feel of it.  But it didn't feel right.  Right now, Riou wanted nothing more than to run far away from everything at the moment.  He tried to make his limbs move, tried to escape, but they wouldn't respond.  Joei was right; struggling was, indeed, useless…

"Joei, just let me go, please?  I…  I don't want to do this…"

"No.  For tonight, you are mine.  I gave you one last chance, Riou.  But you made your choice.  You now have to live with your choice…  I'm sorry, Riou…"

Riou's mind was in a complete fog then, he couldn't remember what happened exactly.  He only remembered his body reacting in ways he didn't think were possible.  And he didn't like it at all.  He could hear himself whimpering and begging to be set free, but Joei wouldn't listen and he didn't seem to stop either.  Riou remembered faintly crying to himself, telling Joei that this was wrong, that it shouldn't be this way, but Joei ignored him.  It was a long time before Riou finally fell into a dreamless sleep.

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The next morning, Riou woke up cold and alone.  He opened his eyes.  The fire had dimmed down completely since last night.  Riou moaned softly and tried to sit up.  He found he was able to this time and looked around.  Joei was nowhere to be seen.  

He shivered, not at the cold, but of the actions that took place last night.  Never in his life did he feel so dirty and ashamed of himself.  With a shaking hand, he reached to pick up his clothes and got dressed.  He saw his Twin Destiny in the corner of the cave. _ 'Much good these did…' _He managed to stand.  He looked down at his hands and found himself trembling. _ 'Why am I trembling?  Am I really that afraid…?' _

He collapsed before he took even ten steps out of the cave and buried his face in his hands, crying.  He didn't know how long he wept to himself when he heard someone shout his name.  For a brief moment, he panicked for a moment, thinking it was Joei.  Instead of getting into a fighting stance, he let out a small whimper and cowered.  Luckily, he saw Flik, Shu and Nanami come out.

"Lord Riou!" Shu shouted, waving to him.  Nanami came at a full run and tackled him.

"Riou, we were so worried!"  Nanami said.  Riou just cried then, he couldn't stop.  "Riou!  It's okay, we're safe!"

But Riou couldn't stop crying.  Nanami's face paled a bit.  She never saw her brother react this way before.  She then had the feeling he wasn't crying about seeing them alive and well, but something else.

"Riou?  What's wrong?"

Riou looked up into his sister's eyes. _ 'I should tell her…  She'll tell me things will be okay…  But…  What if she doesn't…  If she knew what happened last night…  Would she even want to be my Big Sister anymore…' _

"A monster came and ambushed me.  I was…really scared…" He lied.

"Well, we didn't see a monster on the way here, Riou.  You're safe now."

Riou nodded and clutched to Nanami tightly, like his entire being depended on her.  She got up, still hugging him in her arms.  She looked over to Flik and Shu, concern filling her eyes.

"Lord Riou, you don't look so good." Flik commented and looked into his eyes.  When Riou stared back, he knew Flik knew what happened.  "Let us talk later, when we get back to Fantasia Castle."

Later, when he got back to Fantasia, he went right to the bath, avoiding Flik.  He didn't want to tell anyone about what happened.  They wouldn't think of him as a leader, but a weak, little boy.  

But no matter how hard he scrubbed, he couldn't get the dirty feeling off of him. _ 'I have to be strong…  I have to keep this to myself…' _If anyone knew what happened between him and Joei, they would surely demand him to give up his position.  But right now, he had to keep the army together.  He couldn't let Joei win this round, not this time…

But when everyone was in bed, sound asleep, he would cry himself to sleep.  Always with the same question in mind.

_'Why Joei…?'_


End file.
